Leading digital and technology agency, Volume, announced its plans for a technology centre in Colombo at a launch event hosted by the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, John Rankin, on Thursday, 28 February, 2013. This is the company’s first office outside of Britain and begins operations with a team of ten staff.

Volume, which has been trialling a presence in the Sri Lankan marketplace over the last two years, is making this move after 15 years of strong growth in the UK, working for major global companies predominantly in the technology and industrial sectors.

The opening of the technology centre in Colombo will see Volume deliver smarter working by pooling talent from across the world who will communicate using the latest technology to devise products and services predominantly to support brands through their channel marketing. The centre will support and complement the UK technology and innovation team in developing digital interaction and mobile applications, as well as enterprise-class marketing automation solutions for clients. It will also be responsible for servicing Volume’s blue-chip client base in the UAE and Asia Pacific marketplace.

Chris Sykes, Chief Executive Officer of Volume, said, “Our office in Colombo will become an important regional hub for our business. We look forward to a rewarding long-term presence in this marketplace, particularly with the Sri Lankan government’s commitment to develop the country as a good place for business. The team in Colombo will be a vital part of our fast growing company, collaborating closely with headquarters in the UK.”

Volume has aggressive growth plans for its Sri Lanka office and is looking to employ more than 25 new members of staff over the next two years. The company also plans to invest more than £1 million (LKR 200 million) in the centre over the following three years.

Benoit Alvarez, Managing Director of Volume’s office in Colombo, further commented, “We have committed ourselves to invest in and grow our technology centre in Colombo because we are impressed with the level of technical skills and knowledge held by the workforce. It’s this expertise which will add extra value to our high profile client base.

“We will be working closely with universities, undertaking sponsorship and other marketing activity to promote the business to ambitious, highly skilled prospective staff. We are committed to providing a rewarding career path for our team in Colombo.”

Speaking at the event, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, H E John Rankin, said, “The ICT sector is one of the largest wealth creators in the UK. It has been one of the fastest-growing sectors over the last decade, worth £140 billion, accounting for 12% of GDP and employing 600,000 people in the UK alone. Following in the footsteps of other UK ICT companies, I welcome Volume’s decision to open their first regional hub in Sri Lanka. I am aware that the reason UK ICT companies choose to open offices in Sri Lanka is not just because of the strength of its economy, but also because of the wealth of talent here, and its proven ability to develop new and innovative software to sell to the world.”